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Yampa Valley OHV Trail Riders work on Northwest Colorado roads

Grants allow group to maintain favorite trails

Andy Bockelman
Members of Yampa Valley OHV Trail Riders and Craig Powersports exchange thanks Wednesday following a recent project to improve Northwest Colorado trails. The Trail Riders received a grant from Yamaha with Craig Powersports as an additional sponsor and have also gotten funding from other sources to work on trails in the area.
Andy Bockelman

When it comes to recreational opportunities, one group wants to make sure the landscape of their favorite regional spots are well-tended.

The Yampa Valley OHV Trail Riders recently completed maintenance on trails in Northwest Colorado after receiving funding from power sports manufacturer Yamaha Motor Corporation USA to ensure safe, quality riding in nature.

Yamaha’s funding provided the organization with $4,250 through its Outdoor Access InitiativeOutdoor Access Initiative, a grant, that conveniently enough, is dubbed GRANT: Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails., a grant, that conveniently enough, is dubbed GRANT: Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails.

Outdoor Access Initiative, a grant, that conveniently enough, is dubbed GRANT: Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails.



Along with the U.S. Forest Service-Blanco Ranger DistrictU.S. Forest Service-Blanco Ranger District, Trail Riders worked along the Yellow Jacket riding area in Rio Blanco County for four days starting at the end of September to spruce up a stretch of road about one mile long that had a 16-inch rut running through most of it., Trail Riders worked along the Yellow Jacket riding area in Rio Blanco County for four days starting at the end of September to spruce up a stretch of road about one mile long that had a 16-inch rut running through most of it.

U.S. Forest Service-Blanco Ranger District, Trail Riders worked along the Yellow Jacket riding area in Rio Blanco County for four days starting at the end of September to spruce up a stretch of road about one mile long that had a 16-inch rut running through most of it.

In addition to getting rid of the hazard, installation of a water mitigation system was done by rangers, while waterbars, drainage ditches and rolling dips were also part of the improvement.



Dave Watson operated a Sutter 500 Trail Dozer the Trail Riders had purchased in 2011 strictly for use on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management trails. The use of the equipment requires significant training, including 50 hours of operation.

“I’m the only one in all of Northwest Colorado who’s certified to operate that on Forest and BLM grounds,” he said.

The Trail Riders are anticipating an additional State Parks grant at the beginning of 2016 that will fund further use of the dozer, said the club’s president, DeLaine Brown, adding that this fall’s work came together well.

“Our goal was to get it done as quickly as possible before the weather hit us,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who ride there.”

As a local dealer of Yamaha inventory, Craig PowersportsCraig Powersports served as a sponsor for the project. served as a sponsor for the project.

Craig Powersports served as a sponsor for the project.

“It’s great for the industry,” said Kevin Willbanks, manager for the shop. “There wasn’t a whole lot of effort to get the money from Yamaha, they were happy to do it. You never know what kind of hoops you have to run through, and it wasn’t bad.”

Brown said the Trail Riders have “a long line” of goals for trail maintenance of spots throughout the region, including Sand Wash Basin and other Moffat County natural wonders.

“There’s some fantastic riding here,” she said.

For more information on the group's activities, visit yampavalleyohvtrailriders.comyampavalleyohvtrailriders.com..

yampavalleyohvtrailriders.com.

The OHV lifestyle is a great way to take in the sights that make Moffat and Rio Blanco unique, Willbanks said.

“It’s beautiful, right in our backyard,” he said.

Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com or follow him on Twitter @CDP_Sports.Contact Andy Bockelman at 970-875-1793 or abockelman@CraigDailyPress.com or follow him on Twitter @CDP_Sports.


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